Topic: best place to buy....?

[OliveOil]

asparagus crowns, rhubarb, strawbs, onions. pots, garlic.

I want to order everything fairly soon so that i can get them in.

Just wondered where the best place to buy from was - i have a catalogue from Dobies - but wondered if there was anywhere else cheaper/better?

[supersprout]

Would be interested in replies on the perennials.
Might you get bubby and strawb plants from neighbours/friends?
Does your plot have a group buying scheme?

It may also depend with varieties you want - they may available from some suppliers and not others, e.g. overwintering onions from seed:
Senshyu Yellow and Giant Zittau from OGC (http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/),
Onion Rossa Savonese from Franchi (http://www.seedsofitaly.sagenet.co.uk/), and
Stuttgart Giant from Beans & Herbs (http://www.beansandherbs.co.uk/).

If you're deep in farming territory in Lincs - is there a country seed/sundries shop you could go to for bean/pea seed in buckets and spuds/onion setts in paper bags? Cheaper than mail order, and good quality. I go to one in Downham Market, worth a 20-mile drive - you meet all the farmers there buying for their kitchen gardens.

And for experiments, swaps? ::)

[SMP1704]

Hello OO

Can't the whole question but from my experience.

I bought spuds from the garden centre, cheaper and no postage costs and a huge choice.

Rhubarb came from Wilko's and then I found a crown already on the plot - the Wilko one struggled a bit and then got on with growing - mind you I haven't seen for a while amongst the Horsetail ::)

Strawberries any where but Wilkos - I bought six from there and nothing happened at all and I think other a4a'ers have had the same experience.  I was looking in Dobies for some, but again I think I prefer to get them from the GC where I can see the green growth and they can go straight in the plot.

As SS says, you may be able to get both of these from other lottie holders.

Hope that helps a bit.

[flossie]

Bought my straws - gariguette and mara des bois  - from Ken Muir.  The have been fantastic.  Good healthy plants and excellent flavour and crops.

[OliveOil]

Ahhh fabulous idea!  I just remembered we have a farmers market at melton so think that would be my best bet!  Plus i can go loook at the chicken auction too hehehe. (any excuse!)

Will save my money and go and buy 'live'.

[MaryM]

all of the seeds that I got The Real Seed Company have done well

http://realseeds.co.uk/

[Squashfan]

Ooh yes, Real Seeds is a good 'un. I also got potatoes this year from a potato fair in Dulwich. Cheap and tons of varieties to choose from!

[MikeB]

Try in the Wiki, Saunders89 put a list of web sites where to get seed catalogues from, just go on line, order the catalogues and spend hours and hours reading and dreaming.  I'm not sure but but if you do a search in A4A, someone, maybe jerry again, put a list of veg and the prices from different suppliers.
Sorry should have said go to Wiki - click on seeds, then click on seed catalogues, list of seed merchants web sites.